04/24/24
February 23, 2011
Deron Williams Traded To Nets In Massive Coup For Mikhail Prokhorov: After missing out on Carmelo Anthony, the Nets have shocked the NBA world, trading instead for Utah Jazz superstar point guard Deron Williams.
posted by BornIcon to basketball at 11:52 AM - 12 comments
1. What?! How?!
2. The Rockies shed a lot of star power in the last couple days.
3. Williams would have been a lot better fit for the Knicks then Anthony.
4. The Nuggets playoff chances have been on a rollercoaster in the last week.
5. This was way more fun than the Carmelo trade process.
6. Williams wins the Sloan Wars and then gets traded? I don't get it.
posted by tron7 at 12:47 PM on February 23, 2011
Williams wins the Sloan Wars
When was that, in terms of years ASW4 or BSW4?
posted by yerfatma at 12:58 PM on February 23, 2011
So Deron had a tough time playing for Sloan* and now he's going to go get barked at by the Little General? Nice for the Nets if it works (although they still need some pieces to become post-season relevant), but this could be beginning of the end of the Avery era in New Jersey.
*For the record, I thought Deron had a legit argument
posted by Ufez Jones at 01:07 PM on February 23, 2011
I like to think Sloan has retired to Tatooine.
posted by tron7 at 01:21 PM on February 23, 2011
This could end badly for NJ if Williams walks after next year.
posted by mayerkyl at 01:40 PM on February 23, 2011
Williams would have been a lot better fit for the Knicks then Anthony
Agree, but ...
1. At this point, Williams is only a rental for the Nets until 2012, Melo is locked for 3 years. 2. The Melo factor .. he's a proven big game offensive performer. When he shows up he can also be a factor defensively.
posted by cixelsyd at 01:56 PM on February 23, 2011
Yeah, I don't understand this at all. Keeping your fingers crossed that Williams wants to stay is awfully risky.
posted by bperk at 03:12 PM on February 23, 2011
I don't think it's that big of a risk. If they can't convince him to stay in the next year then they can trade him but I don't see a reason why he'd leave. They'll be in Brooklyn by then and Deron will have a fabulously rich owner who wants to make him as happy as possible.
The Melo factor .. he's a proven big game offensive performer.
Agreed, but I don't think it's that much better then a Deron/Amare pick and roll could be in the late game.
When he shows up he can also be a factor defensively.
He just doesn't show up. He's got the physical gifts but not the motor. I've been wondering if he's similar to a Paul Pierce where he could be a good defender when there's someone there to keep him motivated on that end. When Carmelo came back from the '08 olympics there was talk of how he was going to defend the opponent's best player. Well, that only lasted about half a season but he was definitely more engaged after being on that team with Kobe pushing him. My point being, I don't see anybody in New York being able to push him to be a better defender.
I'm being a downer now. I really do like the Carmelo trade from a Knick perspective. They just have some things to work out yet.
posted by tron7 at 05:04 PM on February 23, 2011
The Knicks will have Chris Paul in a year anyways. If Williams stays with the Nets, he and his buddy (Paul) will be in the same city, taking NY basketball back to incredible heights.
posted by dyams at 05:28 PM on February 23, 2011
taking NY basketball back to incredible heights
"back" doesn't belong in that sentence, the Knicks have had some good teams but certainly not in the class of the Lakers, Celtics, Bulls, and possibly even Spurs and Pistons.
Adding Chris Paul would be interesting, but the key will be filling out the roster with the correct pieces and establishing chemistry.
I've never felt sorry for NY BB fans .. the best NCAA College ball is played there each and every year.
posted by cixelsyd at 10:17 PM on February 23, 2011
I was actually including the college scene in my statement about NY basketball. Having two rivals, one in Manhattan and one in Brooklyn, would be exciting.
posted by dyams at 07:01 AM on February 24, 2011
Whoa! Wonder if Jerry Sloan wishes he waited to decide on retirement.